HARRY C. LANCASTER
Director of Athletics
The University of Kentucky basketball team starts a season for the first time in more than two decades without the familiar figure of Harry C. Lancaster on the bench.
After stepping up to athletic director late last season, the long time assistant to Coach Adolph Rupp handed over his coaching duties to concentrate on the complex job of running the entire Wildcat athletic program.
Basketball's loss was the University's gain over-all as Lancaster quickly moved to pick up the reins of leadership which has been relegated in an "acting" capacity first to Robert L. Johnson and then to Lancaster since the death of Bernie A. Shively Dec. 10, 1967.
Lancaster remained with the squad until season's end, but relinquished his freshman coaching duties to Joe Hall and silently began giving up other coaching duties.
The Rupp-Lancaster association, begun after the latter was discharged from the Navy as a lieutenant (s.g.) in 1946, has been one of mutual respect and harmony. Rupp, who always prides himself as one who "surrounds myself with the best people for the job at hand," made Lancaster a full assistant in 1948. During the two previous years, the youthful Navy veteran had busied himself by serving as part-time assistant while carrying on teaching duties and studying for a master's degree.
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